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Customer Support Specialist salary in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area

The Western Wisconsin nonmetro area pays customer support specialists less than Wisconsin as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $46,170 a year1: 1.7% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $46,970 and 3.1% above the US median of $44,770. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#95 of 520). About 1,460 customer support specialists work here, 3% of the Wisconsin total.

$3,848median pay per month in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area
$4,965employer cost per month with benefits
$700–$1,000per month, remote through Stafka
1,460people in this job in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area

BLS occupation 43-4051, area Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

Pay in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area against Wisconsin and the US

Range10thMedian90th
Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)$33,710$46,170$61,200
Wisconsin$34,260$46,970$63,650
United States$31,750$44,770$63,590
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

Customer support specialists at the 90th percentile earn $61,200, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of customer support specialists in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area earns $39,690–$56,820. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,130 wide, between the figure for Wisconsin ($17,820) and the US figure ($14,910).

What to budget for a customer support specialist here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$33,710$2,809$16.21$43,497
25th percentile$39,690$3,308$19.08$51,213
Median$46,170$3,848$22.20$59,574
75th percentile$56,820$4,735$27.32$73,316
90th percentile$61,200$5,100$29.42$78,968

Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,650 over the median, the 25th only $6,480 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $13,742 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.

For scale, the US median of $44,770 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $46,970 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.

What a hire really costs in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area

At the $46,170 median, a local hire costs about $59,574 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,404 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.

$59,574 local hire in Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)median wage plus benefits, year one
$13,288 remote hire through Stafka$850/month, placement fee and Deel, year one

Our open customer support specialist roles pay $700–$1,000 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,5003 with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month4. Change any number below to match your plan.

$59,574local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,288remote hire, first year incl. fee
$46,286difference in year one
78%of the local cost saved

A local hire here costs about 4.5 times as much as a remote hire in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two, when the fee drops out, it is 5.5 times the remote figure of $10,788. About the candidates: most apply through our assessment platform with a written and a spoken English task; each profile shows the English level (B1–C2); Silkstaff interviews every shortlisted candidate live, in English, before you meet them.

Other roles in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area

Of the 17 roles we track in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($47,260) and administrative assistants ($45,790). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,420.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 17 roles in Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
RoleMedianvs customer support specialistJobs
Bookkeeper
$49,270
+6.7%1,100
Medical Administrative Assistant
$47,260
+2.4%260
Customer Support Specialist
$46,170
this role1,460
Administrative Assistant
$45,790
-0.8%1,130
E-commerce Order Specialist
$44,250
-4.2%50

Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area (+3.1%), between virtual receptionists (+4.0%) and medical administrative assistants (+2.9%). The typical role here is at -3.7%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 16.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, 18.1% across Wisconsin and 16.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.

Other areas in Wisconsin

Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $43,240 in Oshkosh-Neenah to $48,360 in Kenosha, a gap of $5,120 a year. Of the 7 areas in Wisconsin with more customer support specialists than the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area ($45,850), Appleton, WI ($45,760) and the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area ($44,830).

AreaMedianvs the Western Wisconsin nonmetro areaJobs
Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI
$46,790
+1.3%1,130
Wausau, WI
$46,260
+0.2%1,000
Janesville-Beloit, WI
$46,210
+0.1%1,110
Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
$46,170
this area1,460
Eau Claire, WI
$45,930
-0.5%1,340
Northeastern Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
$45,850
-0.7%3,000
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
$45,820
-0.8%1,200

the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area is #250 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Wisconsin, Washington-Arlington and El Centro pay just above the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area and Colorado Springs and Fresno just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, none pays as much.

Metro areaMedianvs the Western Wisconsin nonmetro areaJobsClose in
El Centro, CA
$46,240
+0.2%360pay
Washington-Arlington, DC-VA
$46,220
+0.1%36,750pay
Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
$46,170
this area1,460
Colorado Springs, CO
$46,120
-0.1%5,340pay
Fresno, CA
$46,070
-0.2%4,550pay
Champaign-Urbana, IL
$41,280
-10.6%1,480jobs
Logan, UT-ID
$37,330
-19.1%1,460jobs
Albany, GA
$33,190
-28.1%1,480jobs

Questions

How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)?

About $59,574 a year at the median, or $4,965 a month: $46,170 in pay plus about $13,404 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What do customer support specialists earn in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area?

Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $46,170 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,710, the 90th $61,200, and the middle half earned $39,690 to $56,820.

Is the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for customer support specialists?

Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,170 against $46,970 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Janesville-Beloit at $46,210, the next down Eau Claire at $45,930.

How many customer support specialists work in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area?

BLS counts about 1,460 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Wisconsin total of 50,840. 7 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is Oshkosh-Neenah, with about 1,990.

Does a customer support specialist cost more than an administrative assistant in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area?

Yes: $380 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,170 and $45,790.

What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area?

Our open roles pay $700–$1,000 a month. At the midpoint, with the one-time fee and Deel, year one comes to $13,288, against about $59,574 for a local hire at the median.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4051: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.